Plans for Green Park railway station on track following £17 million cash injection

The Government has allocated a further £79.9 million for projects to boost the economy in Berkshire

An artist’s impression of what the station was going to look like when it was originally announced in 2007

Plans for a new railway station at Green Park are on track following an announcement of a £17 million Government cash injection.

A specialist centre will also be created in Reading to prepare young people for careers in technology and engineering.

The Government has allocated a further £79.9 million for projects to boost the economy in Berkshire.

Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has secured the Growth Deal with the Government with the aim of creating 17,000 jobs, 10,000 homes and leveraging a further £20 million in public and private investment.

Steve Lamb, chairman of Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, said: “This Local Growth Fund allocation will help to stimulate growth across Thames Valley Berkshire as the funding streams from central Government will unlock several key schemes across our sub region.

“This will enable the LEP and its partners to improve connectivity across its towns, reduce congestion, unlock private sector investment essential to economic growth and support the building of over 10,000 new homes.”

Plans for a station on the Reading to Basingstoke railway line were included in the original Green Park scheme, but the project was dropped in 2011.

Part of the funding announced on Monday will allow the scheme to be started in 2015/2016.

The station will be good news for employees of companies based at the South Reading business park, including Cisco, Symantec, Quintiles and Thames Water, as well as for football fans and other users of the Madejski Stadium complex. Funding will allow a Solutions Lab to be established to provide young people with the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills needed to support the area’s tech-focused business base.

Dr Anne Murdoch, deputy chairwoman of the LEP, said: “The Solutions Lab will drive the development of a young workforce, who can seize the job opportunities emerging through our tech-based businesses and support the growth ambitions of our sub region.

“By creating resources, which are currently unavailable within colleges, we aim to develop excellence in business research and development, testing and developing entrepreneurial skills, to create individuals who will bring the products, skills and innovation required to stimulate the local economy.”

The LEP also secured £250,000 for the continuation of the Business Growth Hub which offers advice and expertise to small and medium sized businesses in the area.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “This historic deal means real change for people in Berkshire and the Thames Valley with big investments including new funding for transport infrastructure that will improve journeys and connectivity while opening up areas for new housing, redevelopment and growth.

“Young people will benefit too, with new facilities that will ensure they have the skills to support local hi-tech businesses.”

The announcement was welcomed by Reading West MP Alok Sharma.

He said: “I am particularly pleased at the confirmation of funding for the railway station at Green Park business park in my constituency as well as funding for local Solutions Labs to assist with growing the STEM skill base and enhancing business support.”